Behind Enemy Lines: LSU Tigers

Today we take a look across the field at Clemson's opponent Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, the LSU Tigers

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has guided the Tigers to a 39-9 overall mark in his 48 games as the LSU head coach. Of his 39 victories, 17 have come against teams ranked in the Top 25, including 11 over Top-10 opponents. Furthermore, of Coach O’s 39 wins, 25 have come against SEC foes and 30 have come by double-digits. 

As head coach of the Tigers, Orgeron has an 11-3 mark against Top 10 opponents, which includes a school-record six Top 10 wins in 2019. Under Orgeron, the Tigers have played 43-of-48 games ranked in the Top 25, including all 14 games in 2019. 

In 2019, Orgeron has been named National Coach of the Year by Walter Camp, Eddie Robinson and The Associated Press. He was also selected as the SEC Coach of the Year. Orgeron guided the Tigers to the most dominant regular season in school history with the Tigers posting a 14-0 mark and outscoring opponent 684-303. 

LSU goes into the Clemson game riding a streak of 25 straight quarters without trailing (dates back to Auburn game on Oct. 26). The Tigers have only trailed five times all year and have yet to trail in the fourth quarter. LSU is currently riding a 15-game winning streak, the second-longest streak in school history.

If he is going to lead his LSU team to only the second 15-0 season in modern football history, the challenge ahead of them is one of the biggest that his team has faced.

"A lot of respect for Coach Dabo Swinney and the job that he's done with a phenomenal football team," Orgeron said. "He's got some great players on there. Those guys have established a winning championship football team at Clemson. This is going to be one heck of a challenge for the LSU Tigers."

LSU on Offense:

The LSU offense has rewritten nearly every school record in 2019. 

The Tigers have combined for 2,337 yards on the ground and 5,561 through the air in 13 games in 2019. LSU has 7,898 yards of total offense and against Arkansas beat the previous record of 6,125 set by the 2007 team. The season passing number is a new LSU record, beating out the previous record of 3,578 set in 2001. 

In addition to the yards record set against Arkansas, this 2019 team also set the season record for total touchdowns against the Razorbacks with 68 (66, 2007). The LSU offense registered 714 yards at Ole Miss for the most in an SEC game in school history and second against any opponent, just shy of the record of 746 against Rice in 1977. 

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has thrown for 5,208 yards and 55 touchdowns in 2019. 

He’s the only player in SEC history to throw for both 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns and 4,000 yards and 40 TDs in a season. Against Texas A&M, Burrow broke the SEC single-season passing record owned by Kentucky’s Tim Couch (1998, 4,275). 

In the SEC Championship game against Georgia, Burrow broke the tie with Drew Lock of Missouri for the single season touchdown passes record and now stands at 55. Burrow is just the fourth player in SEC history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season. He is the fourth player in SEC history to throw 40 or more touchdown passes in a season.

In a league that did not offer much of a challenge to LSU's record-breaking offensive attack, they are expecting a significantly larger challenge from Clemson.

"When you look at defense, you think about Brent Venables, the great job he's done, his ability to adjust against the different offenses he's seen," Orgeron said. "I think he's an excellent coach. I've always known Brent for a long time and respected him as one of the best defensive coordinators in all of football. Their defensive line is quick and strong, can rush the passer, his blitzes are phenomenal.

"So I think it's a great matchup. When you get to the championship game, you're going to play against a team with some great coaches. You've got a team with some great players, and that's what we have."

LSU on Defense:

LSU’s defense has played its best football of the season over the past four games as the Tigers have allowed a combined 65 points in wins over Arkansas, Texas A&M, Georgia and Oklahoma. 

Over that 4-game span, the Tigers have allowed only 10 first quarter points and 23 in the first half. Against Georgia in the SEC title game, LSU held the Bulldogs to a season-low 10 points and to 286 total yards, well below its season average of 420.6. The Tigers limited Georgia to a season-low 61 rushing yards, 139 below its season average of 200.0 entering the contest. 

Against, Texas A&M, LSU held the Aggies to season lows for both points (7) and total yards (169). The Aggies entered the game averaging 32.7 points and 419.7 total yards per game. Against, Oklahoma, LSU held the Sooners to season low for rushing yards (97), passing touchdowns (0), first downs (16) and total yards (322). 

Over its last four games, LSU has held opponents to a combined 1,081 total yards (270.3 per game) and have intercepted six passes (3 vs. Texas A&M, 2 vs. Georgia and 1 vs. Oklahoma).

But the challenge this week in unlike any other they have faced this season.

"(Trevor Lawrence is) a winner, 25-0 and hasn't been beat yet," Orgeron said. "That tells you a lot about him. Just watched the film, watched several games this morning, three or four games the last couple of days. The way he takes command, the way he takes charge, obviously, the RPOs, his reads are right on it, has a strong arm. But his ability to run, he surprised me.

"Athletes, speed, scheme. Their receivers are big and tall and athletic, fantastic. Etienne is one of the best backs we'll see all year. Louisiana product, outstanding young man. I tried to recruit him at the end, very fast. Again, he made two explosive plays to help against Ohio State. He's a prolific rusher, one of the best rushers in Clemson history, scores a bunch of touchdowns, very fast."